wylie

A similar follow thread to the temptation post. It was the end of an afternoon hunt with my dad. I' m sitting at the corner of a soybean field. It gets dark and my dad radios to me that he' ll meet me near my stand on his way out. So I climb down and get to the bottom rung of the ladder. I look to my left and heading right for me 30 yards away is an absolute monster buck.
This was Saturday night and it was a full moon. It was actually lighter out after dark than it was 10 minutes before dark. I' m frozen to the ladder with my back leaning against it. I see my dad about 60 yards away come to a halt. He saw the buck in front of me. He takes a knee and watches. I gotta be honest. I clipped on my release and knock an arrow. He' s coming right in front of me!! cruises to 10 yards in front of me. My heart is going nuts. Start to position for a shot and think to myself: What the heck are you doing? It' s clearly after hunting hours. Then the bad guy on my other shoulder says: You' ve worked so hard and hunted hard for over 3 weeks now. Everyday.....allday. You deserve this deer!! The good guy finally won the argument. I laid back on the ladder and watched him pass right by. Ultimately I felt darn good about myself, but what an array of emotions.
Our little hunting club prides ourselves on ethical choices. I kinda felt bad even considering taking the shot, but I guess it' s a normal instinct. The fact of the matter is when it was all said and done I made the right choice. I will probably conclude the bow season and get skunked, but oh well I can still sleep at night (kinda).
Anyway my dad patted me on the back and said that' s the best hunt of my life. My greatest accomplishment as a hunter that he' s seen.
oh yeah: Lord please let it pay off for me in the end if you would!!!

jimmya

you made a tough decision and should be patted on the back. at least the buck did not bust you so you might still get the shot on another day.

JZarr

You did the right thing man. There' s a lot of guys out there who would' ve taken the shot and not thought twice about it.

Hopefully you get rewarded with an even BIGGER buck!

GR8atta2d

Great job, Good ethics are not what you do in a crowd, it' s what you do when no one is watching. I agree with your pops, great choice!

Tazman

You know I have been tempted quite a bit over the years and resisted also, I am not going to lie and say I go by my watch when it comes to shooting hours, but once it is dark, full moon or not it is dark and the hunt is over. I am sure that over the years I have killed a few that were either 5-10 minutes after or before legal hours, but to me once you have come off stand in the evening the hunt is over.

You should hold your head high, I have seen more than one person I know over the years more than stretch the law, they have flat broken it! You did the right thing. I will be honest and say that I do hold in some guilt over not chastising the ones who were flat breaking the law, but I have made the decision not to hunt with them again.

Jimimac

I agree with Taz. I never really pay much attention to the actual legal quitting time for any particular day, but when I can' t see clearly enough to make a responsible shot I get down out of the tree and the hunt is over...Period!

PABowhntr

You definitely made the right decision. I applaud you for sticking to your guns.

wylie

lmao... My father got him this morning!! No wonder he patted me on the back. Monster 10 point!! Killed it out of the same stand. Well I' m glad one of us got it (I think). This is one goofy sport.

Jimimac

You did your job not getting busted by the big buck because he came back through the same spot. Dad hunting out of your spot though and takin the buck...That' s rough man.

Tazman

wylie I had to laugh when you said your dad stuck him this morning!!! Sorry but some of us old timers have to be a bit sneaky sometimes to get a big one!!!